Emergency supply: law versus ethics

摘要

It is a Saturday afternoon and a man comes into the pharmacy, wheezing slightly. He asks for a salbutamol inhaler. He tells you he has run out and explains that after using his blue inhaler his wheezing is usually relieved. When faced with such a situation many pharmacists believe that the most appropriate action would be to give the man an inhaler to relieve his symptoms. But there are legalities to consider before handing one over.